Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

THE BEER HALL PUTSCH 195gaden, where the prince resided in a large castle. His instructions wereto ask the prince to intercede with Kahr and Lossow and obtain a pardonfor Hitler and Ludendorff. This would let them out of the affair withoutbloodshed or criminal proceedings. Hitler still hoped to win byhumbling himself. An unpunished putsch is a victorious putsch. WhenHitler gave Neunzert his message, Ludendorff stood by — did not speaka word.Neunzert went — but how can petty circumstances sometimes changehistory! He found no car; was forced to go by train and did not reachBerchtesgaden until noon. Meanwhile, Ludendorff took the decisioninto his own hands. He saw his hour. There was only one way out. Thisband of three thousand idealists and dubious adventurers, of armedbohemians and plunderers, of believing and avid youth, must face thecarbines of the Reichswehr, and the miracle must happen: the carbinesmust drop. Ludendorff was confident that they would if he marched inthe lead. Hitler had thought so, too; but now his courage left him. WhileLudendorff prepared his big act, the encounter between armed bohemiaand Reichswehr, Hitler lent ear to timorous advisers who made it clearto him that the encounter would be more than an act. He hesitantlyapproached Ludendorff: 'They will fire on us.' The QuartermasterGeneral replied only: 'We will march!'Meanwhile, measures had been taken to help the miracle along. Hesspacked Minister Schweyer and a second minister into the car, guardedby two sinister-looking individuals with rifles; he himself sat downbeside the driver. The car sped southward, toward the mountains, whereHess appears to have had a hide-out; in any case, the two were beingheld as hostages for the safety of the rebel army and its leader. At aclearing in the woods Hess halted, the little company left the car andmarched away from the road — things looked very much like a newforest murder. But this time it was only an act, like everything elseconnected with the putsch; after the two were sufficiently terrified, thejourney was resumed. In Munich, Hitler was waiting anxiously for thesaving message from the prince, and at length it came — when it wastoo late. Three thousand men were awaiting the order to march; thecarbines that were to decide the day were already loaded. Meanwhile, inthe Novem-